Primal Instinct
by WolfDiva
Summary: They weren't even human anymore, so they said. Did it even matter when they died? Probably not. Savages, murderers, monsters, would not be missed. First four seasons crossover
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Simple enough.

Notes: This story was inspired by the wonderful book _Midnight_ by Dean Koontz.

* * *

Chiaki loved running through the local park at night, even when her mother protested. The night made the world softer, more alive than in the harsh daylight. The Yoyogi Park was her most favorite place to run, it was large and spacious. Her soothing rhythmic footsteps across a footbridge that spanned one of the ponds seemed to the only noise in the park. It calmed Chiaki greatly, being a nervous person normally. It was just her, the trees, and the occasional jogger in the park at this time of night; just the way Chiaki loved it.

Just ahead there was a sudden flash of movement. Chiaki stopped her running, moving her head side to side quickly. Her brown hair, tied loosely in two braids, whipped back and forth across her neck. She only had seen it's shadow and guessed it was a large dog. "Just a stray," she said to herself, trying to take comfort in the words. "I shouldn't be so jumpy."

Licking her lips and noticing her hands were trembling slightly, Chiaki chuckled wryly at herself. How foolish she was being, her friends at school were right to call her a coward, it seemed. A thin voice, out of nowhere, was groaning. Once again, Chiaki was spooked.

"_Now... now. She.. .coming... faster... faster... eat... soon... soon..." _It was mostly growling and she only could grasp the occasional word. It's voice had a feminine feel to it and Chiaki thought she recognized it but she doubted that. Chiaki felt a chill go through her spine and started running again, faster now.

A pair of barely luminescent eyes glowed from behind a trunk of a nearby tree, they twinkled with a light of their own. There was barely enough light to see the more defined features of their owner and Chiaki would be perfectly content to spend the rest of her days not knowing who that owner was.

It crept closer as Chiaki ran past the tree, it's body now visible. Chiaki took a chance and looked backwards. The creature was indeed built like a large shaggy gray dog, though it's back was arched more that it should have been. As it drew closer, Chiaki saw more than it's eyes and felt sick with fear. Indeed female, it's jaws hung open and saliva dripped in large strings, it was catching up.

Chiaki knew she shouldn't scream, to save her breath for her dash for life, however she couldn't help herself. She opened her mouth to yell for help, for anyone, when she noticed it had stopped chasing her. Turning around and running slowly backwards, Chiaki watched the creature worriedly. It was walking now, in a proud and regal way, slowly towards her with it's mouth open. Unlike her, the creature wasn't panting for breath even if it's sides were heaving. It seemed to be laughing at her.

She mouthed the words 'shut up' at it. "What a stupid dog," she mumbled. It only kept on grinning at her and laughing in that weird growling manner. Maybe she had just heard the wind and thought it spoke. It was very probable, if her nature was accounted for.

The running sounds of what seemed like two more of the strange dogs were coming from behind her. She took a chance and looked backwards. Indeed there was two more, one that was much larger than the other two and one that looked to be the runt of the group, and her panic was renewed. The larger one charged, it's great furry bulk making it seem more like a train than a beast.

The creature in front was much closer by now, it's laughing face mocking Chiaki. She kicked at it as it jumped at her. The kick landed on it squarely on the nose. Blood dripped down it's gray muzzle like a waterfall. It snarled at her and Chiaki backed up instinctively. Right into the large charging creature behind her.

Chiaki fell forward, the creature on her back gnawing at her shoulders and neck. Perhaps her mother had been right about the running after all... Funny, the biting didn't seem to hurt anymore, it even tickled a little bit. Chiaki only faintly noticed when the first creature, still snarling about it's wounded snout, regally stalked up to her and put it's jaws around her throat. She was already dead when it closed it's jaws with a crunching sound.

Chiaki really should have listened to her mother.

-

"Damn... Not another killing. He should at least try to stop those damn _beasts_ under control," he muttered half to himself, half to the cellphone held limply in his hand.

"I try," was the simple reply. "They are simply engineered to release their grip on your world, you know."

The man ran his fingers through the mop of unruly yellow hair on his head. "I know," he said. "Too well. They were only children, too."

"Not any more," the other answered. "They were already part Digimon when my helpers caught them. Two of the three probably even _enjoyed_ it. I wouldn't know."

"Damn you... We should kill that 'pack' at least," the man growled in his throat. "It's the least we can do."

"Why? It's going along fine," the other said. "According to plan."

"They're savages, the three of them," he insisted. "They should be slaughtered."

"Aren't you the bloodthirsty one?" the other one mocked, his voice choked with hidden laughter.

"Shut up," he snapped.

There was a momentary silence. "Alright, alright," the other one muttered. "Don't kill them right now if you mean to."

"Wasn't planning on it, HiAndromon."

"Good."


	2. Chapter 2

She opened the door of the bathroom gently. It wouldn't do any good if Izumi was to wake her parents at this stage, how could she explain to them about what happened to her clothes and why they were so bloody? She couldn't, that's what. Entering the dark bathroom silently, Izumi picked at the drying blood under her nose nervously as she shut the door with the other hand.

How could she have let her prey attack her like that? It was a foolish mistake, probably even more foolish than forgetting a spare change of clothes. The first set of clothes were shredded to useless rags in her haste to get fresh prey. At least Izumi had the luck to have ran into more prey soon, a man that was wearing a large coat. He was surprised and she attacked his back quickly, making a bite to his neck and breaking it. The coat provided enough cover, at least enough for her to get home. It was then discarded out a window.

Izumi smiled slightly, relishing the victory. It was something that she did by herself, her 'pack' didn't help at all. That made her victory even sweeter, it showed them her strength as a hunter. They wouldn't desert a strong fighter like her, they couldn't afford it. Izumi gave a confident grin to her reflection, which even though the bathroom was dark she could see. Sharpened eyesight was one of the perks of being one of HiAndromon's experiments, one that she liked. It helped a lot during the time for hunting. Just to be on the safe side, Izumi flipped on the light, just in case if one of her parents woke up.

A robe was hanging limply on the door handle, she took it. Izumi smiled at her reflection, there was no extra blood this time, she was getting better. Just the blood from her nose, which could be washed off.

-

The computer screen of Ken's flashed irregularly, numerous screens of different types of data flashed across the screen at such rate only a trained eye could make any sense of it at all. Most of it was the statistics on a pack of three 'rogue degenerates'. Ken watched it with only a slight interest, only noting major attributes. Snoring lightly in the bed was his Digimon partner, Minomon.

Ken gave a sigh, he hated working with things that involved degenerates. If only HiAndromon didn't force the fortunate, like him, to control the population of degenerates. It couldn't be helped, though. Apparently the three degenerates were the first, no surprise to Ken, and they seemed to be always a problem.

He rubbed his temples irritably. It was going to be a long night.

-

Every movement of HiAndromon was that of someone with a purpose. Every sweep of his black steel arms conveyed the greatness and grandeur of his words. His head moved side to side, the red eyes of his helmet glinting dangerously in the light of the lecture hall when he spoke of humans. The gray pallor of his skin was taught when he spoke and the red cables shown under the broken parts of his armor shimmered as if they were living muscle.

"As I was saying," the Cyborg said to gathering of young Digimon around him. "On the subject of humans. They are disgusting creatures. They only think of themselves and have you ever been to their world? Yes, I have, so don't you dare ask me Icemon, I know how you are. Filthy disgusting place, that 'Earth' is."

HiAndromon was pursing his lips in such a way while he talked that conveyed to his audience that he didn't care much for the subject he was talking about. "Those apes have built great factories," continued HiAndromon, getting into his stride. "Bigger than any of those in the Digital World. They bellow smog in such enormous quantities that it's a wonder that every single one of them aren't coughing every moment of the day! They're polluting their own world. Poisoning the very air they breathe and the water they drink. Savages, every single one of their race. Yes, Icemon?"

An inquisitive young Digimon, his skin a shiny white rock surface looked up at HiAndromon with curious eyes. "If you hate humans so much, why are you letting them walk around this place so much?" Icemon eagerly asked.

"Because, Icemon, I'm trying to _save _them," HiAndromon said, sighing for it was becoming tiresome of being asked the same question over and over. "From themselves. It's just their current genetic state that's the problem. I've gathered, through this research I'm conducting on the specimens you see walking around, that there are two possible evolutionary ways for the humans to save themselves.

The first one is actually devolution. They keep their heightened emotional awareness and enhanced psychical qualities but lose their advanced thinking patterns. It's not a great lost for some, and most of them seem to prefer this method. From what I gather, it must be some racial memory. They are still social animals in that state, preferring to be in groups or 'packs' as they call themselves. I like to call this group 'degenerates'.

Then the second is more fortunate. In exchange for most of their emotional capacity, they gain instead a great increase of mental prowess and focus. I've screened my subjects carefully and choose only the cream of the crop to undergo this experience. They perform as smoothly as machines, quite a feat, if I say so myself. These are called 'generates'."

Out of nowhere, a human male walked up to HiAndromon. He was well dressed in a black suit and had blond hair that was carefully kept. The light of the hall made his black sunglasses glint. HiAndromon stopped his lecturing and gave the newcomer a careful nod. "What is the matter, Yamaki?" HiAndromon asked, his tone was dripping with forced courtesy, obviously meant to not offend the human.

"We've caught one of the damned savages," the man snapped. "No, it wasn't that damned girl either. It was the young boy. What was his name? Tomoki, I think."

HiAndromon nodded to Yamaki and to his audience. "Take a break, this will restart in roughly thirty minutes. Get some food or something, I have important matters to attend to," HiAndromon addressed to the assembly. "Don't bother asking me, Icemon. I won't tell you anything at all."

Moving to the door in quick and easy steps, HiAndromon conversed in hushed tones with Yamaki secretively as they walked out of the room. Both of them had nothing but contempt for the other, only politeness was keeping their tones conversational and friendly.


	3. Chapter 3

It was too light in this room, his eyes couldn't adjust. The metal bars of the cage was too tight, he couldn't move. Where was the female and the big male? They should have been here and they weren't. Something was wrong but he didn't know what, they should have been here. Where did they go? Did they think he was troublesome and thus a problem to the pack? He was awfully confused. How could those men catch him, wasn't he fast enough? It hurt too much to think about just one of those many questions. All he could do was give a thin whimper, he was afraid. He needed his pack.

Glancing around the room once his eyes adjusted, the male saw that it seemed to be rather plainly furnished with only a chair sitting lonely in the corner. Every part of the room, except for the cage he was in, was painted stark white, including a metal door. The light in the room might have been dimmer if it wasn't for that white paint.

Through the great shining light, two entered the stark holding area. He growled at them. "_Let... go... go... need... pack..."_

The human prey, tall and dark with his yellow hair hanging around his covered eyes frowned at him. "No, you damned savage," he snarled. "You don't even know your damn name."

The male blinked at the prey. Name? He had a name? That was news. Maybe he did. What it was, he didn't know nor did he care. Only the female, the leader, should have a name. That's why she was the leader. What was that name? The male must have forget it again, he must not be worthy enough to remember something like that.

The other prey, the metallic Digimon smiled warmly at the male. His paws with the great metal claws gestured at the other prey to be quiet. The Digimon moved closer, his face with glowing red eyes moving close to the face of the male. His pale face was drawn into a wry smile. "Enough, Yamaki. Is this true, Tomoki? Does that name hold any meaning for you at all?" asked the Digimon curiously.

Tomoki? It did seem familiar... Though it might have been something the prey made up, some of them were very tricky. That's why the female limped off with an injured nose, it was because of clever prey. The male snarled venomously at the prey. He would not be surprised by this Digimon. _"No... no... go... go... let... go... kill... hunt... eat... eat... kill..."_

The prey called Yamaki took out a lighter and started flicking it angrily. "Let you go and let you kill more innocent people? I don't care if you _are_ just a brat under all that fur, you aren't going to 'hunt' anyone anymore!" The prey spat out these words with such intensity it made the male shrink back. This prey sounded like the leader of a pack and the male respected that.

The Digimon rose up and straightened his back. "Enough," he said to Yamaki. "Enough. We aren't going to get any more out of this one tonight. Where did you say that your group found him?"

The Yamaki prey glared at the male and turned his back to him. The male took it as his chance and jumped at the cage walls, growling and roaring. The male would bite the Yamaki prey's throat, tear it out, rip it and eat it... Then the female and the big male would realize he was a good hunter, valuable to the pack... They would... what was the word again, love? That was it... They'd love him for killing such big prey.

Yamaki turned around quickly, his face contorted in a fierce snarl. "Try that again, damn savage, and you die. I guarantee you that," he snapped. "I dare you!"

The male shrunk back again, whimpering for forgiveness. Perhaps this Yamaki wasn't prey. He was fierce like the female in his pack, like them. Just like them...

-

"Uh, hi Mimi. Can I talk with you for a few minutes?"

Mimi smiled graciously at the girl she was talking to. "Sorry, I'll be right back, don't worry," she promised and turned around to talk to the nervous looking blond boy sitting behind her. "Yes, Micheal?"

Micheal gave a small grin to the girl sitting in front of Mimi who gave a little 'humph' of disgruntlement and turned around to face the front of the classroom. The teacher, who was typing hard at the computer at his desk barely noticed this. "Sorry, 'bout that, Mimi," Micheal said and Mimi gave him an encouraging gesture of her hand.

"No problem," she said airily. "What is it?"

Leaning close to his friend's ear, Micheal whispered, "You know that place you and I know? Do you mind meeting me there after school? I, mean, if you aren't too busy or something. My friend there told me yesterday there was something screwy happening in that area."

"Really? Well, I was thinking about shopping... Oh well. I'll meet you there," she said and tapped the girl she was talking to earlier on the shoulder who turned around. "Sorry, Katie, I can't go shopping with you after school. How about Saturday?"

The girl sighed but nodded. At least she was going to save a few dollars today, then.

-

The mountain stretched high into the sky, almost touching it. The athletic Micheal was scaling the path in quick and easy steps and his Digimon partner, Betamon was riding easily in the backpack slung across his back. Mimi and her friend, Palmon, were lacking farther down the path. Micheal had simply set up a pace that the girls couldn't keep up with.

"Micheal," Mimi called up to him. "Slow down!"

Micheal turned back and jogged to his friend's side. "Heh, sorry Mimi," he apologized. "It's just that I want to get to that place Betamon told me about soon. Isn't that right?"

Betamon popped his head out and nodded to Micheal. "Yep, that's right," Betamon agreed. "Things have been a little strange around here lately, even by the lake I live in."

"I can agree to that," Palmon said. "They're right. Something just isn't right now-a-days."

"Really?" asked Mimi curiously, she now was interested. Sitting down on a rock near the side of the mountain path, Mimi made herself comfortable. Micheal followed suit and Palmon resigned to sit by her friend. "What type of things?"

"All sorts of things, Mimi," Micheal sighed. "We've tried to ask some of the local Digimon questions but they refuse to answer. Then there are the rumors about... creatures. Some sort of monster that isn't either human or Digimon. I think I saw one myself... Hey, where are you going?"

Mimi had quietly taken an empty plastic bottle of the backpack that Micheal had set down beside her. She now was walking down a side path, a determined look on her face. "I think I saw some sort of river earlier! I'm going to fill this up!" she called back. "Palmon, stay here with Micheal! I'll be right back!"

-

Junpei stretched under the shade of the scraggly mountain tree lazily. It was getting to dusk and soon he would be able to hunt. Izumi would be close, now, scouting ahead. They were going to have to steal Tomoki back, HiAndromon had betrayed them. That was Izumi now, coming down the path. Moving his big body straighter, Junpei felt in his bones that it wasn't his friend returning. Could it be? Yes, p_rey_. Perhaps Izumi wouldn't mind a little more food before getting to HiAndromon's mountain fortress.

Now, where was a good place to hide those tiresome clothes?

-

The path was worn smooth and Mimi had no trouble moving down to the slow moving river. Smiling triumphantly, she took the cap off the bottle and dipped into the water. Low growling made her stop, turning around Mimi saw what seemed to be a large dog lying low on the mountain ridge just above the path she had been walking on.

It leaped easily off it's perch and right onto her. Mimi didn't even have time to scream, the jaws of the creature had already killed her.

-

"Oh, hi there!"

Micheal looked up from the conversation he was having with Betamon and Palmon surprised. The newcomer, a lithe looking blonde dressed in purple clothes, sat down on the same rock Mimi had been sitting on only fifteen minutes earlier. "Didn't see you when I was going up the mountain a few minutes ago."

"We didn't see you, either," Micheal replied, blushing slightly. "You going up the mountain, too?"

The girl gave him a glare. "Well, of course I am!" she said rolling her eyes. "What else would I be doing up here, picking daisies?"

Micheal blushed even redder. He gave her a sheepish shrug. "There are wild Digimon around here," Betamon interrupted. "Don't you have a Digimon?"

The girl shrugged. "No, don't need one," she replied. "I was just doing a bit of hiking with a friend of mine. See, a friend of ours got lost last night when we were camping out near here."

"Really?" Micheal asked trying to catch the girl's eyes. She nodded.

"Speaking of which," the girl said. "He should be waiting for me now. I better be going."

With that said, the girl got up from the rock, stretched and headed towards the path Mimi had gone down. "Hey," Micheal said, getting up. "How long does it take to get to that river down that path?"

The girl looked back. "About ten minutes, why?"

Micheal gave a careless shrug as he picked up his backpack. "A friend of mine went that way," he said. "Do you think we could go that way? It would be safer."

"Why not?" the girl replied, shrugging.


End file.
